I am making progress on the Go 144 (2008 version), (fin 50 cm, sail 5.8, 20 Kn wind). In the intermediate footstrap position, in runs rather well. But, I feel, I need to put a lot of pressure on my back feet to keep control. And can not fully load sail because the board will go downwind. Especially when the speed increases.

I tried the advance position, but than I have large difficulty to control (seems wild horse) and keep on being in plane. Moreover, it is very difficult to reach the back footstrap position (close to the water). (I saw that the 2009 version position is more inboard)

The question for me, should I keep on trying (exercise) in the intermediate position, keeping fin and sail size. Or should I change fin, sail, foot strap position ...

Thanks for the advise,
Olaf

Roger

27th October 2008, 03:50 AM

Hi Olaf,
It would seem that you are really pushing the limits of the GO 144 here.
If you truly are sailing in a solid 20 knots of wind, the 5.8 sail size is about right,
but your board is getting too big.
In order to "calm it down" I'd suggest you work on getting into the back footstraps, with the footstraps fully outboard as this will give you much better control (once you get used to the differences between all the way back and outboard and your intermediate positon.
The stock 50 cm fin is almost too large for a 5.8 m2 rig in 20 knots.
Perhaps a smaller 42-46 cm fin would be better for this windspeed.
I understand that you found it difficult to get into the rear footstrap with the footstraps all the way back and outboard, but once you've done it enough it will become 2nd nature just like the intermediate straps seem now.
You cannot get the full performance from the GO 144 sailing it in the intermediate FS position. You simply do not have the control over fin attitude that will give you full speed with full control.
I do not understand your issues with the board going downwind if you fully load the sail.
Are you getting the foot of the sail all the way down on the deck of your board by raking it back fully? If you keep the rig standing up too straight (not raked back) then the sail will tend to pull you downwind.
The reason you are getting so much back foot pressure is that your foot is so far forward of the fin. When you get into the rear and outboard footstrap, you will find you have much better control over the rail to rail (tip) of your board and can steer more easily by lifting slightly with your front foot ans you push across the top of the fin with your back foot. This doesn't happen if you are not committing to your harness and have most of your weight "suspended" from your rig.
My guess is that you are at the "intermediate" stage where going faster is not yet comfortable, but I can assure you there's alot more speed in the GO 144 as soon as you get everything tuned.
Also, where are you running your mast foot (relative to the mast slot in your board), in the middle..... forward.... back?
Hope this helps,

crazychemical

27th October 2008, 04:39 AM

Olaf, I've got a little tip! It took me ages to discover it myself but one day it just hit me! I own a GO 139 and from the beginning i've set the straps fully outboard (dunno why, jsut wanted to make my life difficult i guess ..) but after a while i had the same problem: go fast, no problem, controle the board? uhm yeah ... like barely, and thats cuz i weigh like 95 kilo. Simply cuz i could't cruize in the back footstrap; i was always in the front one, no problem, but the board went ballistic when i tried to get into the rear one. So one day i gave up and said: if i cant get into it, i can try to get behind it: that way i can controle the board by adding a bit of backfoot pressure and because i'm one step closer to the tail, i'm more on the fin and i gain some controle. It worked perfectly and once i was planning i said to myself: if i can get behind it, i can get in it. I tried and what do you know, it worked. See, if you're behind it, you're basicly in an exagerated stance and if the board can tollerate that, it can tollerate your foot in the rear strap for sure. Nowadays on the GO i still opperate like that. Only on my Flow, which has more inboard setting (which frankly are getting really boring to a point of annoyance) i get in the footstraps without going behind them first.
once you get into the rear straps, that board will accelerate beyond what you've ever felt before! Just be carefull not to catapult ;) at least not when you're hooked in, i swear you'll break a boom or a sail (minimum!).
I hope that helps muchacho!

marek

27th October 2008, 02:58 PM

Olaf, I've got a little tip! It took me ages to discover it myself but one day it just hit me! I own a GO 139 and from the beginning i've set the straps fully outboard (dunno why, jsut wanted to make my life difficult i guess ..) but after a while i had the same problem: go fast, no problem, controle the board? uhm yeah ... like barely, and thats cuz i weigh like 95 kilo. Simply cuz i could't cruize in the back footstrap; i was always in the front one, no problem, but the board went ballistic when i tried to get into the rear one. So one day i gave up and said: if i cant get into it, i can try to get behind it: that way i can controle the board by adding a bit of backfoot pressure and because i'm one step closer to the tail, i'm more on the fin and i gain some controle. It worked perfectly and once i was planning i said to myself: if i can get behind it, i can get in it. I tried and what do you know, it worked. See, if you're behind it, you're basicly in an exagerated stance and if the board can tollerate that, it can tollerate your foot in the rear strap for sure. Nowadays on the GO i still opperate like that.

I also do the same on my FT-148 - I put my back foot behind the back footstrap and when the board is at the right speed I slide my back foot in.

-marek

Gen1surfer

28th October 2008, 03:17 AM

Thanks all for the good advise,

Are you getting the foot of the sail all the way down on the deck of your board by raking it back fully?
Indeed, probably I was to careful, so good hint.

Also, where are you running your mast foot (relative to the mast slot in your board), in the middle..... forward.... back?

Actually, I did not really watch this. Probably in the middle. My first quess would be to move in backwards to balance more the heading down?